The Braille Forum
Vol. XXVII January-February 1989 No. 4

Published by
The American Council of the Blind
Mary T. Ballard, Editor

*****

Promoting Independence and Effective Participation in Society

* National Office: 
Oral O. Miller
1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W.
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 393-3666
 
* Editorial Office:
The Braille Forum
Mary T. Ballard
190 Lattimore Road
Rochester, NY 14620
(716) 442-3131

THE BRAILLE FORUM is available in braille, large-type, and cassette tape (15/16 ips). Subscription requests, address changes, and items intended for publication should be sent to: THE BRAILLE FORUM, 190 Lattimore Road Rochester, NY 14620.

Those much-needed and appreciated cash contributions may be sent to LeRoy Saunders, Treasurer, American Council of the Blind, 1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005.

You may wish to remember a relative or friend by sharing in the continuing work of the American Council of the Blind. The ACB National Office has available special printed cards to acknowledge to loved ones contributions made in memory of deceased persons.

Anyone wishing to remember the American Council of the Blind in his/her Last Will and Testament may do so by including a special paragraph for that purpose. If your wishes are complex, you may wish to contact the ACB National Office.

For the latest legislative and governmental news, call the Washington Connection at 202-393-3664 Eastern time, 24 hours a day; or toll-free, (800) 424-8666, 9:00 P.m. to 11:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Copyright 1988
American Council of the Blind

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** Contents

President's Message, by Otis Stephens

Into the 1990's with Some New (and Some Not So New) Faces, by Kathleen Megivern

News Briefs from the ACB National Office, by Oral O. Miller

1989 ACB National Convention: Virginia, a Tourist's Delight, by Robert J. Acosta

Notice Concerning Applications for and Renewals of ACB Membership-at-Large

From the ACB Board of Publications:
	Ned Freeman Award Criteria for 1989
	Announcing the Vernon Henley Media Award

Ham Radio Rejuvenated, by Donald Coleman

Shock Waves, by Phyllis Stern

Highlights of ACB Fall 1988 Board Meeting

Tragic Death of Blind Woman Reveals Need for New Motor Vehicle Safety Law in Virginia, by Oral O. Miller

Blind Workshop Workers Dealt Setback by Federal Appellate Court, by Charles Hodge

Comments on International Conference on English Literary Braille, by Juliet Esterly

Merger Planned for TSI and VTEK

American Blind Athletes Shine with Gold at 1988 Paralympics

Here and There, by Elizabeth M. Lennon

*****

** President's Message
By Otis Stephens

At the beginning of 1989 I am pleased to report that the American Council of the Blind continues to build for the future. We still face stern financial challenges and continue to need more active participation by larger numbers of our members, but we are making solid progress in advancing the opportunities of blind 
and visually impaired Americans. 

At our mid-year meeting in Richmond on January 14, the Board of Directors adopted a budget providing, among other things, for: funds to help defray expenses incurred by scholarship recipients in attending the national convention; further debt retirement; a new part-time secretary for the National Office; and a modest increase in staff salaries. To achieve a balanced budget, the Board substantially cut its own travel allocation and postponed further program and staff expansion. We would, of course, like the process of restoration to move more rapidly. Still, we are pleased that our new growth is continuing and that it is based on more diversified sources of income.

In this connection, I want to thank all individuals and affiliates who have contributed, over and above the payment of annual dues, to the ongoing support of ACB. Your generous commitments of time, talent, and effort as well as money are vital to our organization. The future of ACB depends on our concerted and sustained commitment. 

With the increased activity that typically characterizes a new national administration, we must maintain and increase our visibility in Washington. From the statements of many national leaders (including President Bush), we can expect education to become a more important national priority. If this occurs, it will reinforce the need for our active participation in representing the interests of blind and visually impaired students. This includes not only helping to shape national programs, but increasing scholarships and advocating vigorously for higher standards of braille instruction. The educational establishment in this country must come to understand and appreciate that the ability to read and write braille is as essential to blind students as print reading and writing skills are to sighted students. The same academic requirements and standards that apply to print instruction should apply to the teaching of braille. That simple, straight-forward message must be heard and acted upon if the next generation of blind people in this country is to enjoy anything approaching equality of educational opportunity. The American Council of the Blind is strongly committed to this goal. It is vitally important that we follow through on a firm commitment to equality of educational opportunity for blind and visually impaired people.

Other goals of our organization, including such areas as employment, for example, are equally important. In a period of relative prosperity, when many individuals are not directly experiencing the pain and frustration that come with denial of opportunity, it is not easy to maintain the needed level of commitment to the goals of organizations like ACB. But difficult or not, the task must be performed. That is our challenge as responsible members of this organization. We cannot afford the luxury of complacency. Without question, we have contributed greatly to the advancement of legal rights since the mid-1960's. Efforts along these lines must, of course, continue. But now and in the immediate future, I am convinced that our greatest effort must be devoted to the advancement of practical, tangible opportunities for blind persons to participate fully and effectively in society. This begins with education -- not only at the elementary and secondary levels, but in the colleges, universities, technical and vocational schools, and adult education classes as well.

During the past several months, a number of Braille Forum readers have shared ideas with me regarding ACB's programs, priorities, and goals. Some of the points emphasized in this "President's Message" reflect concerns raised in these communications. I urge all of you to engage in this dialogue with me and with other Officers and Directors. Take an active part in shaping the future of our great national organization.

*****

** Into the 1990's with Some New 
(And Some Not So New) Faces
By Kathleen Megivern

Well, the election is over, all the ballots are counted, and the next Presidential campaign won't start for at least a couple of weeks. So this is a natural time to look to the new Congress and the incoming Administration. What will these "new kids on the block" be like? What sorts of issues affecting people with disabilities is the 101st Congress likely to address?

First, of course, when discussing the 101st Congress, we must note that Senator Lowell Weicker (R., CT) will be sorely missed. Senator Weicker has been a great advocate for people with disabilities, and we are not likely to find such a powerful friend in the near future.

The good news is that Senator Tom Harkin (D., IA) has indicated his continued commitment to programs affecting people who are disabled. He will demonstrate this commitment by retaining chairmanship of the Subcommittee on the Handicapped, and in addition, he will chair the Appropriations Subcommittee for Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, a very key position in determining funding level for special education and rehabilitation.

As we go to press, the picture on the House side is a little more muddled, with many committee assignments still not made. So it's hard to know whether Representative Major Owens (D., NY) will remain in his position as Chair of the Subcommittee on Select Education.

On the issues, we already know that there will be a continued push for the Americans with Disabilities Act, and that is likely to become a major focus. The discretionary programs under the Education of the Handicapped Act are set for reauthorization, and the indications are that a lot of attention will be paid to these programs this time around. These provisions include funding for deaf-blind services and money for personnel preparation (special education teachers). 

The Legislative Working Group (which includes the American Council of the Blind) is also working on a project related to work disincentives created by the current Social Security laws, and there is likely to be some activity by this group in that area of interest.

What about the new Administration? Well, we know that Secretary Cavazos will remain at the head of the Department of Education, but as we go to press, there is no word on who will head the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) or who might be the new Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration. There is some hope around Washington that the Bush Administration will be more pragmatic and less ideological than the Reagan people have been, which should make life somewhat easier for disability rights advocates. But the big question, of course, is whether Madeleine Will will remain in her current (or some other top level) position.

Despite the questions, some things remain fairly certain. The deficit which has built up over the last eight years continues to dominate the scene, and further cost-cutting will likely be high on the agenda in Washington in coming months. But with the President-Elect adamantly refusing to look at possible tax increases (that's right: read his lips), and with many domestic programs already cut to the bone, there are definite hard times ahead as we struggle to expand -- or, at the very least, to protect -- special education and rehabilitation programs, while we try to meet the growing needs with shrinking dollars.

*****

** News Briefs from the ACB National Office
By Oral O. Miller
National Representative 

Among the international dignitaries who visited the ACB National Office recently was Ms. Baldir Verma, Under-Secretary for the Ministry of Welfare of the nation of India. While I am somewhat familiar with the education and rehabilitation systems available to blind people in many foreign countries, after discussing systems in the United States with officials from developing nations I am always reminded anew of how fortunate we are in this country. I wish it were possible for the American Council of the Blind to honor the requests from even half of the deserving blind individuals and organizations of blind people from developing nations who ask for assistance of various types.

We want to take this opportunity to thank the dozens of ACB members throughout the country who served as monitors of the Wall Street Report broadcasts. The project is to be repeated during 1989 in even more cities. We are asking anyone who may be interested in serving as a monitor to contact Stephanie Cooper in the ACB National Office (toll-free, 1-800-424-8666). Serving as a monitor involves listening to a small number of broadcasts at specific times or a specific station during a specific week, and recording a few facts about each broadcast on a cassette provided by the project. Serving as a volunteer monitor for only a few minutes for one week — or two weeks at most — is an excellent way to thank Dow Jones & Co., publishers of The Wall Street Journal and Wall Street Report, for the significant contribution it will be making to the American Council of the Blind in 1989.

During much of the last quarter of 1988, the American Council of the Blind was fortunate to have received the volunteer services of Miss Raphaele Pecqueraux of Paris, France. Raphaele, who lost her remaining sight a few years ago, has recently passed the formal examination portion of the requirements for admission to the Bar as an attorney in France. She is now serving the internships required by the French legal system. While serving an internship in the ACB National Office, she learned more than she ever thought possible about the rights of handicapped people in this country and the legal basis for most of our service and benefit programs. She is now serving an internship with a Washington, D.C., law firm which specializes in international law, the area of specialization which she hopes to enter. The consolidation of the European Economic Community (or "Common Market") is scheduled to be completed by 1992, and she hopes to play an active role in the development of the enormously complex economic and legal agreements needed to accomplish the goals of the consolidation. Those of us who met and worked with Raphaele were delighted by her personality and sense of humor, and we were genuinely impressed by her desire to learn, her willingness to work long and hard on even dull tasks, and her versatility in adjusting to rapidly changing circumstances.

We want to thank all of the ACB members and friends who responded to the letter from ACB President Otis Stephens asking for financial contributions in 1988 and pledged contributions during 1989. For the information of those few prospective donors who questioned the apparent cost of the "Wonderful Weekend in Washington," the major items -- transportation and hotel lodging -- are being donated to the American Council of the Blind as sweepstakes prizes. Although the drawing for the sweepstakes will have taken place by the time this issue of The Braille Forum is distributed, anyone who has not yet made a contribution and/or pledge is urged to do so during the first quarter of 1989. 

Undoubtedly one of the major legislative thrusts of 1989 will be the Americans with Disabilities Act. It was recently my pleasure as a member of the Task Force on the Rights and Empowerment of People with Disabilities to participate in a forum for the formulation of legislative strategies for 1989. I am pleased to report, also, that during a briefing conducted on Capitol Hill recently, Senator Tom Harkin (D., IA) announced that he has agreed to serve as Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Handicapped, and that he plans to do everything possible to fill the shoes of Senator Lowell Weicker of Connecticut, who lost his bid for re-election. For many years, Senator Weicker has been a strong and outspoken advocate for the rights of disabled people. 

As I entered a bank near the ACB National Office a few weeks ago, a man who was about to leave stepped aside politely, perhaps upon seeing my long cane. As I passed him on my way to the teller's window, he shouted that something had been "very close." I then heard the bank manager, speaking rapidly into the telephone in her distinctive Portuguese accent, giving a description of a man dressed in a business suit and carrying a briefcase. Upon my return to the office, a visitor mentioned that there were several police cars parked around the bank. We then heard that the bank had closed following an attempted robbery. The plot thickened even more when the parking garage attendant reported that a man had been seen earlier that afternoon running from the bank; that he had dropped a gun on the sidewalk, picked it up, and continued on out of sight. The bank manager told me the next morning that a well-dressed man had been directed to her desk the previous afternoon; that he handed her a note telling her he was armed and directing her to open the vault without setting off an alarm; that upon reading the note, she had acted like she could not understand it because of her Portuguese background; that in her thickest accent she had asked him if he wanted a Washington Redskins football or to be directed to the personnel office; and that her nerve had almost broken just before the would-be robber, who by that time had been in the bank for several minutes, decided in frustration to leave. Since the robber had been communicating quietly with only the bank manager, none of the other employees knew that an attempted robbery was in progress -- that is, until the robber shouted in anger at the bank manager from the front door and stepped aside to allow a tall man with a long white cane to enter the bank. There's never a dull day around the ACB National Office!

*****

** 1989 ACB National Convention: 
Virginia, A Tourist's Delight
By Robert J. Acosta
National Convention Coordinator

Already in early 1989, plans are well under way for the 28th annual convention of the American Council of the Blind, to be held in Richmond, Virginia, the week of July 1-8. This article will focus primarily upon the numerous tour opportunities which the Tour Committee, chaired by ACB Board member Pat Beattie of Virginia, is arranging throughout convention week.

Please plan to come early to Richmond. Convention week will kick off on June 30, with a tour to historic Williamsburg. You will see how Williamsburg actually functioned during the Colonial period. The tour will include a guided, hands-on visit to the Governor's Palace. Stroll down the streets and witness for yourselves how blacksmiths, silversmiths, and other artisans actually performed their trades. Enjoy lunch at one of the historic Williamsburg taverns. The Committee hopes also to include stops at Carter's Grove Plantation; Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in America, founded in 1607 (and the first capital of Virginia); and Yorktown, where the British surrendered to the American colonies in 1781.

On Sunday, July 2, enjoy a citywide tour of Richmond, the oldest capital city in English-speaking North America. Richmond is the former capital of the Old Confederacy and the current state capital. The tour will include a visit to St. John's Church, with a re-enactment of the high drama when Patrick Henry proclaimed his famous words, "Give me liberty or give me death." Several walking tours of Richmond are also being considered, which will include the White House of the Confederacy, home of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America.

President Nelson Malbone of the Old Dominion Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired has been working closely with Lions in the Virginia Beach area, who will host a fishing trip, to be followed by a fish fry. Don't miss this event!

Tuesday, July 4, will feature a trip to exotic Busch Gardens, just outside Richmond. It is hoped that a Fourth of July concert can also be included in the price for this tour.

Civil War buffs will certainly enjoy visiting such historic sites as Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Spotsylvania.

Convention week would not be complete without a day spent in Washington, D.C. You will board the tour bus early in the morning and be taken to such places as Arlington National Cemetery to visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the grave of John F. Kennedy; the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, with names in raised letters of those soldiers who fought and died bravely in Vietnam; the Lincoln Memorial; a special tour of the United States Capitol; and the Aerospace Museum at the Smithsonian Institute. The tour will conclude in the evening with a dinner, to be included in the tour price, at one of Washington's most prestigious restaurants.

On Friday, July most 7, travel prestigious to Monticello, home of noted scientist, historian, architect, and over-all scholar Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States. Included, also, are lunch and a visit to the famous Michie Tavern, which served as a stagecoach depot in Colonial times and is now a famous museum. You will also visit Ash Lawn Plantation, home of James Monroe, fifth President of the United States. 

For those conventioners who may wish to wind down following a busy week, the Tour Committee is planning either a dinner/theater party or a dinner cruise for Saturday evening, July 8. Be sure to read the March-April issue of The Braille Forum and watch for your pre-registration packet for further details as tours become finalized.

Daily room rates at the four convention hotels for singles, doubles, triples, quads are as follows: the Richmond Marriott, $45.00; the Omni Richmond, $45.00; the Radisson, $40.00; and the Days Inn Marketplace, $38.00.

Hotel reservations this year are being handled by the ACB Convention Office, 8915 Reseda Boulevard, Northridge, CA 91324; (818) 349-2636. You may make reservations beginning January 23 by writing the above office or by calling between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon, Pacific time. If you write, please be sure to include your telephone number and address, should further information be needed.

We encourage all conventioners to make travel arrangements through Northridge Travel Service of Northridge, California, as the American Council of the Blind receives free airline tickets based upon the volume of sales with the company. These free tickets are helpful in bringing speakers to the convention and in assisting ACB staff, officers, and the Convention Coordinator to develop future programs for the organization.

To contact Northridge Travel Service, you may call toll-free: outside California, 1-800-842-8880; inside California, 1-800-523-4396. Ask for Patty, Tenci, or Jenifer, and be sure to mention that you are with the American Council of the Blind.

It was my pleasure in mid-October to attend the annual convention of the Old Dominion Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired. As your Convention Coordinator, I was truly impressed with the energy and the commitment of this outstanding ACB state affiliate. They are determined to make this 28th annual convention one to remember!

*****

** Notice Concerning Applications for and 
Renewals of ACB Membership-At-Large

The American Council of the Blind Constitution and By-Laws provide that any person who has reached the age of 18 years and who is not a voting member of an ACB affiliate is eligible to become a member-at-large, with the right to an individual vote at the ACB national convention. Annual membership-at-large dues are $5.00. Application forms for new members-at-large are available from the ACB National Office.

The ACB Constitution and By-Laws further provide that all dues are to be received no later than ninety days prior to the ACB national convention; that is, in 1989, no later than Tuesday, April 4. All membership-at­large dues must be clearly identified as such and should be sent, to be received in the ACB National Office no later than April 4, 1989, to: American Council of the Blind, Attention: LeRoy Saunders, Treasurer, 1010 Vermont Avenue, N.W., Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005.

*****

*** From the ACB Board of Publications 

** Ned Freeman Award Criteria for 1989

The Board of Publications of the American Council of the Blind is pleased to announce criteria for the 1989 Ned Freeman Award. Each year this award is administered and granted by the Board of Publications to an outstanding writer who has made a specific contribution of particular merit to the field of writing by and for blind people. The award is given in memory of Ned Freeman, ACB's first president, who at the time of his death was serving as Editor of The Braille Forum.

This year two types of submissions will be evaluated in selecting the recipient. 

First, we wish to solicit submissions from any writer on a topic that would be of interest to The Braille Forum. This article may or may not be published, depending upon available space. You can be sure that every effort will be made to publish submissions of merit. Whether published or not, all manuscripts will be entered for consideration in the granting of the award. In addition, any article that has been published in The Braille Forum between July 1988 and June 1989 will be eligible for consideration for the award.

Secondly, any submission will be considered that has been published by an affiliate of ACB. If a previously published article is entered, a print or braille copy of the original manuscript must be received, in addition to the published version, in order for the article to be considered.

All submissions must be received by April 30, 1989. They should be sent to: Editor, The Braille Forum, 190 Lattimore Road, Rochester, NY 14620.

*****

** Announcing the Vernon Henley Media Award

As a dedicated member and friend to the American Council of the Blind, Vernon Henley contributed in numerous ways to enhancing the quality of communications among blind and visually impaired people. He created and for four years produced ACB Reports, the monthly information program distributed to radio reading services nationwide. At the time of his death, he was also Chairman of ACB's Board of Publications. In that capacity, he conducted workshops for newsletters and read style books and other unavailable publishing tools on to cassette tape. 

The Board of Publications is pleased to announce the creation of the Vernon Henley Media Award in memory of this committed individual. The award will be presented annually by the Board of Publications to a communicator who represents the ideals demonstrated by Vernon Henley. It will be presented to a person, either sighted or blind, who has created a radio, television, or print media product conveying positive and useful information concerning blind people in general or the American Council of the Blind in particular. Programs and/or articles written and produced specifically for a visually impaired audience, as well as those intended for the general public, are eligible.

This award is intended to be a vehicle for publicizing ACB throughout the general media (both before and after each annual contest), and to encourage excellence and accuracy in electronic and print coverage of issues relating to blindness. The award will be presented annually at the ACB national convention, and every attempt will be made to publish the winning entry in The Braille Forum or on ACB Reports. The first award will be presented at the ACB national convention in Richmond, Virginia. 

All submissions must be received no later than April 30, 1989, and sent to: Editor, The Braille Forum, 190 Lattimore Road, Rochester, NY 14620.

*****

** Ham Radio Rejuvenated 
By Donald Coleman

The title of this article is not original with me. I stole it from The Quawpaw News, the internal newspaper published daily in braille and large print at the 1988 national convention of the American Council of the Blind in Little Rock, Arkansas.

But the ACB Radio Amateurs owes much more to The Quawpaw News than the title of an article. This organization, an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, has for the past few years been less than fully active. Last summer in Little Rock, thanks to a timely announcement in The Quawpaw News, ham radio operators at the convention were notified of a meeting to be held for the purpose of reactivating their organization and setting its affairs in order. Hams, as well as others interested in the hobby of amateur radio, attended that meeting in numbers more than sufficient to get the organization really functioning again. Sylvester Nemmers, WOMHC, was elected President, and I, Don Coleman, W1VOQ, was elected Corresponding Secretary.

Now it's time for dues-paying members of ACB Radio Amateurs to stand up and be counted; and it's time for your money to be counted, too. Mr. Nemmers needs to receive that $10.00 check or money order in payment of your 1989 dues as soon as possible. Along with your dues, you might also include a note telling us whether you would prefer to receive mail from ACBRA in braille, large print, or regular print.

Address all dues payments and correspondence to: Sylvester Nemmers, WOMHC, 670 36th Street, Des Moines, IA 50312; (515) 279-8232.

Thanks to all who participated in the meeting last July in Little Rock. I think we've begun well in seeing to it that, through the work of this affiliate, ham radio as an ACB activity is alive and well and is, indeed, in the process of being rejuvenated. 73's!

*****

** Shock Waves 
By Phyllis Stern

Earthquakes may cause shock waves in California, but in the guide dog world, it took a somewhat different type of disturbance to send shock waves clear across the country. When Californians returned from the 1988 convention of the American Council of the Blind in Little Rock, they were stunned by the news that Bud Melvin, Executive Director of International Guiding Eyes, Inc., had fired the Director of Training, Lee Mitchell, giving him half an hour to remove himself and his possessions from the premises. Following Mr. Mitchell's dismissal, his assistant, Maurice Hall, and an apprentice, Steve Bergman, tendered their resignations in protest. Robert Acosta, a member of the IGE Board of Directors (and President of the California Council of the Blind) felt that he was left with no choice but to resign as well from the IGE Board when he realized that Bud Melvin was turning a deaf ear to the protests of the IGE graduates. When he tried to discuss with Mr. Melvin not only the dismissal of Mr. Mitchell, but several other serious concerns of the graduates he represented, Mr. Melvin's response was, "I'm not about to let the inmates run the asylum."

Numerous graduates across the country tried to contact members of the International Union of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, IGE's major funding source, in an attempt to enlist their assistance. Mr. Melvin had told Mr. Acosta that he had a union in his "hip pocket," and that they would do anything he told them to do. Apparently he was right: They did nothing.

On October 1, the California State Guide Dog Board met to discuss the problems at IGE. IGE was, after all, without adequate training staff. Mr. Melvin chose not to appear, but sent his attorney in his stead. The attorney announced that Mr. Melvin had, in fact, hired Jeff McMullen, a professional trainer with experience at both Guide Dogs for the Blind of San Rafael, California, and in New Zealand. Since the training requirement had been met, the Board determined to take no action.

Since that infamous day in July, Lee Mitchell has been working as a consultant for the California Council of the Blind, making himself available for anyone who might seek his help. His dedication to the concerns of blind people is well established. Combine that with the well-known drive of Bob Acosta and we have a dynamic duo — a force which by its very nature must have a direction.

Indeed, it does. According to Bob Acosta, there is to be a fourth guide dog school in California, to be known as Guide Dogs of the Pacific. Mr. Acosta reports: "We incorporated on October 3 with the Secretary of the State of California. In early December we shall apply for a fund-raising license from the State Board of Guide Dogs in order to raise funds for the school. This will give us as much as two years to raise the necessary funds. Lee Mitchell will serve as the Director of Training, and we believe that this school will be a unique one and that the blind consumer will have a direct say in its operation. At present we are establishing our Board of Directors. In the near future we hope to issue a press release announcing the formation of this body. Guide Dogs of the Pacific will be willing to work with all organizations of the blind. We look forward to a bright future."

Kim Charlson, President of Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI), expressed the feelings of that American Council of the Blind affiliate when she said: "Lee Mitchell and Bob Acosta have taken on a monumental task. We not only wish them well, but intend to be supportive in whatever way we can. GDUI has always been concerned about the delivery of quality services for blind individuals who obtain guide dogs. In turn, GDUI has made a practice of making recommendations to guide dog training schools which will improve the overall training. It is extremely regrettable that such recommendations are no longer being considered by the management of International Guiding Eyes. In lieu of this lack of consideration and the decline in training and programming, I, as President of GDUI, would advise blind individuals selecting a guide dog training school to boycott IGE and to apply to another program. It seems that the only method left to us is to make our views heard by attending other programs until IGE is willing to respect the recommendations of the blind consumers." 

Because of a strange quirk of fate, Bud Melvin had reason to call me recently. He took the opportunity to report to me that Jeff McMullen was indeed training a class currently and would be graduating that class on December 4. He felt that IGE was back on track and the school was back on firm financial grounds. My hope for IGE is that the management learns to take heed of consumers' concerns and no longer think of them as "inmates" in their "asylum."

(Phyllis Stern is a past president of Guide Dog Users, Inc., and is currently a member of the ACB Board of Publications.)

*****

** Highlights of ACB Fall 1988 Board Meeting

The fall 1988 Board of Directors meeting of the American Council of the Blind was held September 16-17 at the Airport Marriott Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Ollie Bledsoe of the ACB of South Carolina presented a check for $1,000 to ACB in memory of Ellen Boone, long-time member and leader in the South Carolina affiliate. 
President Otis Stephens reported that during August and early September he participated in the state conventions of the Georgia Council of the Blind, the ACB of South Carolina, and the Tennessee Council of the Blind. In mid-August, he, Oral Miller, and Charles Hodge met with Frank Kurt Cylke, Director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, to discuss a number of issues which had been raised at the 988 ACB convention in Little Rock, Arkansas. Mr. Cylke will attend the January 1989 ACB Board meeting, will meet again with representatives of ACB in April, and will participate in the 1989 national convention in Richmond, Virginia.

The President indicated that supporters of the National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving the Bind and Visually Handicapped are deeply concerned about reports of a projected major cut in financial support of NAC by the American Foundation for the Blind. The Board adopted a resolution urging AFB to continue its financial support of NAC at the current level. The Board also directed that President Stephens appoint a committee responsible for encouraging greater consumer support of NAC. It was also pointed out that exploratory discussions regarding possible reorganization of NAC have occurred in recent months. President Stephens has conveyed to NAC serious reservations regarding any decisions on reorganization made without the full participation of ACB.

The Board authorized National Representative Oral Miller to represent ACB at a meeting of the World Blind Union to be held in Madrid, Spain, the week of September 19-25.

National Representative Oral Miller reported as follows: The ACB National Office has urged all affiliates to participate in forums in their states conducted by the Task Force on the Rights and Empowerment of Americans with Disabilities and to report instances of discrimination to ACB or directly to Justin Dart, Jr., Chairman of the Task Force. Plans are under way to reintroduce the Americans with Disabilities Act in the 101st Congress. The Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act was signed into law by President Reagan on August 19. The RSVA lawsuit challenging the Defense Department's awarding of contracts to McDonald's and Burger King is currently in the arbitration stage.

Reporting for Director of Development Roberta Douglas, who was unable to attend the meeting, Mr. Miller indicated that the annual fund-raising letter will be sent out shortly after the final 1988 pledge reminders have been mailed in October. A number of grant applications are currently being prepared for submission. Official word has been received of ACB's acceptance nationally into the Combined Federal Campaign. 

Braille Forum Editor Mary Ballard outlined her plan to combine the special convention issue of The Braille Forum authorized by the Board at its post-convention meeting into a greatly expanded September­October issue. Included will be the text of resolutions passed by the 1988 convention, together with a listing of names and addresses of the ACB Officers and Directors, the ACB Board of Publications, and the special-interest affiliate presidents. Resolutions and address lists will be placed in a separate insert in the braille edition. 

Reporting for the Membership Committee, Durward McDaniel outlined plans to contact former members who have dropped out of the organization, as well as Braille Forum readers who are not now members of ACB. The committee also made the following recommendations: that a renewal notice form for affiliates be developed; that membership recruitment materials be updated; that a membership workshop be held at national conventions. The Board directed that a meeting be scheduled at the 1989 convention for persons in each affiliate who are responsible for membership. 

LeRoy Saunders, Treasurer, indicated that income this year has diversified more than ever before; that significant revenue is attributable to the excellent support of ACB affiliates, members, and friends; and that ACB has received an unqualified audit from Price-Waterhouse. 

Upon recommendation of the Budget Committee, the Board approved final restoration of staff salaries to their 1985 levels; directed an increase of eight hours per week in the Washington Connection toll-free telephone service; and voted to increase by $1,000 the amount of money for each of the four Floyd Qualls Memorial Scholarship categories. 

Elected to the 1989 Budget Committee were Brian Charlson (Chairman), Charles Hodge, and LeRoy Saunders.

Robert Acosta, National Convention Coordinator, announced the 1989 Convention Committee: John Horst, Assistant Coordinator; Margarine Beaman, Volunteers; JoAnn Slayton, Public Relations; Patricia Beattie, Tours; Roy Ward, Information; Denise Weddle, Exhibits; Janiece Petersen, Entertainment and Hospitality; and James Olsen, Roberta Douglas, and LeRoy Saunders, Registration. 

The Board expressed appreciation to Jim Olsen's daughters, Sarah and Martha, for their assistance during the 1988 convention.

The winter Board meeting is scheduled for the weekend of January 14-15, 1989, in Richmond, Virginia.

*****

** Tragic Death of Blind Woman Reveals Need for New Motor Vehicle Safety Law in Virginia
By Oral O. Miller
National Representative

On that warm morning of August 25, 1988, Joyce Harris of Annandale, Virginia, and her dog guide were walking, as they had many times before, back to the Harris home after Joyce had escorted her husband, Dick Harris, to his office on the campus of the Northern Virginia Community College. Joyce and her dog had just walked through a small wooded area on a maintained bicycle path and had entered a narrow service road which ran parallel to a very busy highway on her left. The highway was about ten feet away, up a very steep, grass-covered embankment. On the right side of the service road, which was approximately ten feet wide, were driveways leading to homes. There were no sidewalks or shoulders on either side of the narrow service road.

Joyce and her dog were walking in the service road very near its left edge. Because of the noise from the highway, Joyce Harris apparently did not hear the trash-collection truck that was backing directly toward her on the service road. Evidently she or her dog detected the approaching truck at some point and moved to their right to go around it. At about the same time, the driver of the truck started turning to his right to back into one of the driveways. The individual who ordinarily walked along near the truck to shout instructions to the driver and to empty the trash cans into the truck was riding in the truck with the driver. The truck struck Joyce, and the right rear wheels crushed her to death instantly.

Questions were immediately asked as to why the driver never saw Joyce Harris, because she should have been clearly in his view in plenty of time for him to stop. The answer, which is legally acceptable in Virginia, was that closed trucks, unlike school buses, are not required to have mirrors that will enable the driver to see immediately behind the truck. The question was asked next as to why Joyce did not hear the backup horn or other audible signal while the truck was moving in reverse. The legally acceptable answer was that in Virginia, trucks are not required to have horns or other audible signals that sound automatically when a truck is operating in reverse. No, the driver was not charged with a traffic violation of any type, because the police, as so often happens, concluded that since the victim was blind, she or her dog guide must have been at least partially responsible in some way for the accident. In that respect, the reaction of the police was similar to that of the Montgomery County, Maryland, police following the deaths of Dick and Lorraine Evensen in Silver Spring, Maryland, approximately two years earlier. 

The American Council of the Blind, the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind, and the Old Dominion Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired, of which both Dick and Joyce Harris were members, immediately expressed their concern and outrage at the accident and the way in which the investigation was handled. The tendency of police departments to focus on the blindness of traffic accident victims, the training received by dog guides, or traditional orientation and mobility techniques rather than on all of the facts of the case is a bias which we must recognize and guard against vehemently. 

The Old Dominion Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired, with the assistance of the American Council of the Blind and other organizations, has already started a campaign in Virginia for a law to require most trucks and other large vehicles with restricted vision to have appropriate audible signaling devices to warn pedestrians that the vehicle is moving in reverse. From my office on the 11th floor of a downtown office building in the District of Columbia, and in spite of heavy city traffic, I hear many such signals sounding every day. Our Virginia members realize that, despite the obvious reasonableness and nominal cost of this proposal (approximately $75.00 per vehicle), the trucking industry is expected to oppose it vehemently. The county commissioners of the county in which the fatal accident took place have already concluded that they will, pursuant to their limited legal authority, require such signals to be installed on all trash collection trucks that operate in the county and use county facilities.

Let it be made perfectly clear that the needed law referred to above is not a law for the primary benefit and protection of blind and visually impaired people. Rather, it is for the protection of the public generally. Investigation conducted following the death of Joyce Harris indicated that some very large urban counties are considering installing on their trucks and other large vehicles a sensing device which would detect the presence of a person or object within a certain distance behind the truck and automatically stop the truck. This device would be used in addition to an audible signal.

We commend the Old Dominion Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired for its determination to remedy the problem in Virginia and to minimize the risk that such an accident as the kind which resulted in Joyce Harris's death will ever happen again.

*****

** Blind Workshop Workers Dealt Setback by Federal Appellate Court 
By Charles Hodge

On Monday, June 27, another chapter in the ongoing saga of disputes between the Arkansas Lighthouse for the Blind and its blind workers was written when the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit at St. Louis, Missouri, issued its decision in the case of Arkansas Lighthouse for the Blind vs. National Labor Relations Board. The case grew out of a hotly contested N.L.R.B.-supervised representation election among the Lighthouse's production work force which took place in July 1981. By a vote of 28 to 24, the workers rejected union representation in that election.

However, the Teamsters Union challenged the results of the election before the N.L.R.B. and alleged that the election process had been tainted by a series of allegedly unfair labor practices on the part of the Lighthouse's management. The Union claimed that such allegedly unfair labor practices by management included threats to close down the workshop if the workers voted for union representation, and the withholding by management of a scheduled wage increase for employees, due shortly before the election. After much delay and numerous twists and turns in the administrative hearing process, a divided three-member panel of the N.L.R.B. ruled in 1987 by a two-to-one vote that the Lighthouse's management had in fact committed a number of unfair labor practices during the representation election campaign, which had tainted the election process and warranted setting aside t of the election results. The Board majority also ordered the Lighthouse to recognize the Teamsters Union as the exclusive collective bargaining representative of its workers, and further ordered the Lighthouse to bargain in good faith with the Union. 

Rather than comply with the Board's order, the Lighthouse petitioned the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit for review of that order, and the N.L.R.B. cross­petitioned the same court for enforcement of its order. Writing for a unanimous three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals, Senior Circuit Judge Floyd R. Gibson held, in his June 27 opinion, that even though the Board may well have been justified in finding that the Lighthouse had committed numerous unfair labor practices, the Court does not have to reach those findings, since the Board did not have jurisdiction to make those findings. The Court of Appeals held that the majority opinion of the Board is flawed in that it took too narrow a view of the rehabilitative and therapeutic nature of the Lighthouse's workshop program. The Court went on to state that that even though the workshop employees are subject to the same kind of work rules and discipline and are afforded many of the same benefits as workers subject to the National Labor Relations Act, the primary thrust of the Lighthouse's workshop program is rehabilitative and therapeutic, and not business oriented -- and that, therefore, the workshop workers should be deemed to be clients of a rehabilitation facility, who are not subject to the jurisdiction of the Board under the National Labor Relations Act, rather than employees who would be subject to the Board's jurisdiction under that Act.

The holding of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals is directly contrary to earlier decisions of two other Federal Courts of Appeal -- Cincinnati Association for the Blind vs. 
N.L.R.B. (6th Circuit 1982), and Houston Lighthouse for the Blind vs. N.L.R.B. (5th Circuit 1983). Those Courts had held consistent with the Board's majority in the instant case that the employees of the regular production program in a sheltered workshop for the blind are employees subject to the jurisdiction of the Board, entitled to exercise the right of freedom of choice to select an exclusive collective bargaining representative, guaranteed under the National Labor Relations Act. The holding of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals also is at odds with the position endorsing the rights of blind workshop workers to freedom of choice and self-determination under the National Labor Relations Act, as set forth in ACB Membership Resolution 81-10.

On July 22, the National Labor Relations Board filed its petition for re-hearing with the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Despite the arguments made by the N.L.R.B. in support of this petition, the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit on August 16, 1988, denied the Board's petition, thus making that Court's judgment in the case final.

However, confronted with a direct conflict among at least three Federal Courts on this important issue involving the Board's jurisdiction and the scope of coverage under the National Labor Relations Act, the N.L.R.B. will in all likelihood petition the United States Supreme Court for review of this important legal issue. In light of the direct conflict among Federal Courts of Appeals, the United States Supreme Court may well decide to review the issue and make the ultimate decision as to the rights of blind workshop workers under the National Labor Relations Act.

*****

** Comments on International Conference on English Literary Braille 
By Juliet Esterly

Reprinted from BRL Memorandum 
Vol. 8, No. 2, December 1988 
Published by the Braille Revival League
An Affiliate of the American Council of the Blind

As a follow-up to a similar conference in Washington, D.C., in 1982, the International Conference on English Literary Braille (ICOELB) met in Westfield College, London, September 18-24, 1988. Some 50 delegates and observers attended from eleven countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom (including observers from Ireland and Scotland), United States, and Zambia.

At the last minute, conference co-chairman Floyd Cargill cancelled due to the illness of his wife. He is the official representative of the American Council of the Blind. His delegate seat was occupied by John Jackson from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. U.S. consumers were represented by delegate Fred Schroeder, Vice President of the National Federation of the Blind, and by observer John di Francesco, President of the Braille Revival League. They brought resolutions from their national organizations urging no major code changes, and then only after careful thought and research. 

Nineteen papers were presented during five days. (A rule allowed only delegates to read the summaries of these papers. Since some had never read over the paper before, they were not as meaningful as if they had been read by the author.) Thirty resolutions were adopted on the last day. Observers were allowed limited discussion time. (It was unfortunate that observer Les Pye could not have explained that he had a computer program that could handle the "natural pause" before the resolution to eliminate natural pauses was adopted.) These resolutions will be published in early 1989 by Australia, and the proceedings will be published later. 

I felt that the major goal was to develop a simplified, uniform code for teaching children and adults who have difficulty in learning braille. Teaching methods and learning techniques were not discussed. A resolution expressed the need for a Grade 1 primer, which Canada offered to design. 

Another resolution provided that a research committee design an advanced braille code which need not be based on or affect Grade 2. 

Mainstreaming children has made it especially important for blind children to understand print symbols and format so that they can follow the textbooks of their classmates and be able to type correctly for social and business communications. Understanding that the signs and symbols used in print are usually after the number is important; for example: 3 ft. and 70 degs. Special marks are frequently used in print instead of these abbreviations. Braille may need special marks. We now have one in "dot-4-and" for the ampersand sign in typing. Emphasis was on following print rather than on saving space.

In the case of quotation marks, a resolution said that the single opening and closing braille marks should be used for outer quotes, irrespective of print, and the two-cell braille quotes should always be used for inner quotes. An exception might be if the entire book required this practice. Then the print book could be followed, with a transcriber's note at the beginning explaining that this was being done.

Another recommendation was that if signs or symbols are new or from another code, a special listing of them should be placed after the title page of the book.

Another resolution decided that the present ICOELB organization continue and arrange for a research project and a committee to draft a constitution for a successor body. The constitution would be distributed to current delegates for their approval by September 30, 1990. This would be a permanent international body to deal with the English Literary Braile Code. It would make non-binding recommendations and hope that national braille authorities would adopt them. The Canadian National Institute for the Blind offered to be the headquarters for the new organization. They have a large body of transcribers, and CNIB will help with finances. 

In doing research, a resolution provided that field-testing should overlap international borders ...

Having representatives from developing countries was very helpful, as it emphasized the problems with having many different dialects. They experience difficulty in choosing between American and British codes. They want books from both countries because they have few publishers and lack books and equipment for teaching and studying. We were urged to search our closets for unused slates, braillers, and paper to donate to them.

It is hoped to have closer ties with the World Blind Union. Unfortunately, it was holding its international meeting in Spain at the same time and drew some people who might otherwise have attended our conference.

In choosing delegates for the new international organization, it was felt that they should not be chosen just because they are blind, but, rather, because of their expertise in the braille code.

It was felt that as few changes as possible should be made in Grade 2 braille, and then made primarily to make learning easier.

Committees will study and make recommendations about the following subjects:

1.  The proper use of units and symbols.
2.  The nature and proper use of punctuation and composition signs.
3.  Unifying the symbols and usage for mathematics codes.
4.  Developing guidelines for linear braille. 
5.  Rules used by countries other than the United States and Britain.
6.  What contractions might be dropped or added, and rules for using contractions. A computer study has found that 30 contractions in the present Grade 2 braille save practically no space because they are rarely used and are just a burden to learn. The British overlap syllables more than Americans ...
7.  What to do about the capital sign. It was agreed that until a decision is reached, dot 6 will not be given any other meaning. (In her paper, Norma Schecter — representing the Braille Authority of North America — suggested that when there is a long capitalized passage, it would be easier if there were three Dot 6's at the beginning of the passage and two Dot 6's before the last word that was to be capitalized. That sounded like a good idea to me, and I hope the committee considers it.)
8.  Updating the code comparisons made by Les Pye and Norma Schecter would continue. (Les Pye, representing Britain, Norma Schecter, representing America, had been commissioned to compare the British code and the American code in order to make recommendations for eliminating differences.) It would be made available in computer format for purchase by anyone. (This decision was made because Norma Schecter had spent two years on the research, at the request of the Braille Authority of North America.)
9.  Delegates voted that research committees, insofar as possible, should include members from developing countries. They voted that a successor organization should report at least annually to members upon progress being made.

The delegates agreed that short-form words should be used in proper names if the meaning is clear -- as the British do now. If the meaning would not be clear, then the name would be preceded by a letter sign and no contractions would be used in that name. ...

The conference wasn't all work and no play. The first night there was a get-acquainted sherry party. The last night there was a special banquet in honor of the late Richard Evensen, including musical entertainment. John di Francesco sang two songs in his usual talented manner. The Braille Revival League contributed $1,000 toward this memorial party.

There was a visit to Braille House, the publishing and library branch of the Royal National Institute for the Blind ... I was especially interested in their new maps: black and colored outlines and words are made on large cardboard, overlaid with a thin brailled plastic. ...

In summary, this conference was a valuable steppingstone toward a non-binding international authority for a uniform English Literary Braille Code. It illustrated the various needs of individuals and agencies and the need to have books that can be interchanged between all English-speaking braille readers. Some definite decisions were made, but the most important decisions will be made as the result of recommendations from research committees. These will not be binding decisions, but it is hoped they will be generally accepted by national braille authorities. It is also hoped that wide field-testing will allow input from consumers, transcribers, and publishers throughout the world, and that the computer will be made to serve the braillist, rather than the braillist having to adjust to the computer.

*****

** Merger Planned for TSI and VTEK

Jim Bliss, President of Telesensory Systems, Inc. (TSI), and Larry Israel, President of VTEK, jointly announced on December 20, 1988, the planned merger of the two companies. The merger is expected to be completed in February 1989. 

"We believe there are many ways in which this merger will benefit the thousands of visually impaired and blind people we serve," said Bliss. "Increasing the volume over which product development costs are spread will enable us to develop more innovative products, maintain reasonable prices, and avoid expending resources on duplicate effort. Also our enlarged field staff will be able to deliver superior customer and product support."

Under the reorganization plan, TSI will acquire VTEK through an exchange of stock. Jim Bliss will be President of the combined company, and Larry Israel will be a member of the Board of Directors. John G. Linville, a TSI founder, will be company Chairman. William S. Schwarz, Vice President of Finance for TSI, will also assume the duties of General Manager of the VTEK organization. 

"I have decided to step out of an operational role," said Israel, "but I hope to continue to make a significant contribution as an active member of TSI's Board of Directors. I am also eager to devote more time to my position as Chairman of the Assistive Devices Division of the Electronics Industries Association, our newly formed trade organization."

Both organizations will continue operations in their present locations. TSI is headquartered in Mountain View, California, and VTEK has locations in Gardena and Santa Monica, California, with an additional manufacturing facility in Dublin, Ireland, which serves the European Economic Community. 

TSI and VTEK were founded in 1970 and 1971. TSI focused on products for blind people, while VTEK concentrated on products for people with low vision. In 1983 TSI entered the low-vision business by acquiring the assets of Apollo Electronic Visual Aids, a pioneer in video magnifiers for low-vision people. About the same time, VTEK announced its first product for blind people.

By combining the complementary strengths of both organizations, the merged company plans to become more competitive in the United States and international markets.

*****

** American Blind Athletes Shine with Gold at 1988 Paralympics

Representing the United States of America in the Olympics is an experience so exciting that most of us can only imagine it. It was real, however, for the 62 blind American athletes who took part in the 8th Paralympics (or "Handicapped Olympics") that took place in Seoul, South Korea, in October 1988. Those athletes, who were selected and trained by the United States Association for Blind Athletes (USABA), were part of the 450-strong U.S. Disabled Sports Team, which also included outstanding amputee, wheelchair, cerebral palsied, and dwarf athletes. The team leader for the blind athletes was Lou Moneymaker of Indianapolis, Indiana, and the overall leader of the American team was Mary Margaret Newsom of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The Paralympics are endorsed by the International Olympic Committee as well as the U.S. Olympic Committee. And the Paralympics are exactly equivalent to the able-bodied Olympics in that they feature competition among the best handicapped athletes in the world. Nevertheless, the International Olympic Committee will not allow the event to officially use the "Olympics" or the Olympic logo; hence the use of the word "Paralympics," which many English-speaking nations dislike.

Approximately 4,000 handicapped athletes from sixty different countries competed in the 8th Paralympics, using the same facilities as their able-bodied counterparts a few weeks earlier. The opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium featured the same precision and colorful skydivers, dancers, choruses, bands, and fireworks displays that had fascinated TV viewers around the world. The Paralympic Village where the athletes were housed featured the same security precautions to protect the international visitors, and those visitors experienced the same warm hospitality enjoyed by their able-bodied colleagues preceding them.

Although the blind athletes made up only 13 percent of the overall American team, they won almost 25 percent of the medals. They tied one world record and broke 18 others. Consider, for example, the incredible performance of Trisha Zorn, a 24-year-old graduate student from Mission Viejo, California. She won 12 gold medals and broke nine world records. One of the most satisfying victories was that of Carlos Talbott, a Federal employee from Miami, Florida, who won the gold by setting a world record in the grueling marathon, while at the same time easily beating an athlete from another English-speaking country who had been boasting since arriving in Seoul about the distance by which he would win. For good measure, Carlos also set a world record while winning the gold in the 5,000-meter run.

Several American athletes who had been selected to the team learned only a few weeks in advance that competition would not be held in their specialty events because fewer than the required number of countries were entering athletes in those events. However, those athletes were entered in other events in which they presumably were as skilled. For example, Betty Egensteiner, a teacher from Chicago, and the world record-holder in the pentathlon, displayed her versatility by winning gold medals in the broad jump and the 800-meter run. The importance of sports to people beyond their teens and 20’s was underscored by athletes such as Jim Neppl, a practicing attorney from Rock Island, Illinois, who won the gold by breaking the world record in the shot put by more than a foot, and by Richard Ruffalo, a high­school teacher from Belleville, New Jersey, who won the gold with a record-tying throw of the discus.

In sports as in most other areas of endeavor, a winner cannot rest on his laurels. For that reason, the USABA coaches, who are themselves volunteers for the Association, plan to continue encouraging the participation of young or previously inexperienced athletes in the various developmental, regional, and national activities sponsored by the organization. The USABA is a member of the International Blind Sports Association and is the official sanctioning organization in the United States for the sports of swimming, track and field, power lifting, goal ball, marathon running, gymnastics, wrestling, cycling, judo, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, and speed skating. It is also a member of the Committee on Sports for the Disabled of the United States Olympic Committee. A complete report on the results of the 1988 Paralympics or other information about the USABA may be obtained by contacting Dr. Roger Neppl, Executive Director, USABA, 33 N. Institute Street, Brown Hall, Suite 015, Colorado Springs, CO 80903; (719) 630-0422.

*****

** Here & There
By Elizabeth M. Lennon

Braille prescription labels are now available upon request for people who are blind or visually impaired from the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) Pharmacy Service, which has twelve locations (ten regional mail-order and two walk-in) around the country from which prescriptive and over-the-counter drugs and home health products can be ordered. The transparent braille label is attached over the original prescription label, so that a sighted person can still read the original label. The braille label contains the patient's name, name of the medicine, directions, date, prescription number, and doctor's name.

Claudell Stocker has been appointed head of the Braille Development Section at the National Library Service (NLS) for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, effective September 1988. The Braille Development Section, which is part of the Materials Development Division, is responsible for providing course materials for training and certifying volunteer braillists in the literary, mathematics, and music codes, and in braille proofreading. Mrs. Stocker comes to NLS from the Kansas Rehabilitation Center for the Blind, bringing 28 years of experience in teaching communications skills, particularly braille, and in research on methodology. She replaces the late Richard Evensen, who died tragically in a pedestrian-automobile accident in 1987.

From the ICUB Newsletter (Iowa): Would you like to own a "homing pigeon?" What would you do with it, and what would it do for you? Well, says Walter Stromer, "'Homing pigeon' is the name I have given to a device made for me by my brother-in-law out of parts from Radio Shack to meet a special need I had -- that of finding the entrance to my driveway when there was several feet of snow on the ground." The "homing pigeon" is built from parts used for model cars and costs about $45.00. The transmitter is about the size of a candy bar, with a 12-inch antenna attached, and is powered by a 9-volt battery. You carry the unit with you, and when you get within about 125 feet of the sound source, you press a button which causes the sound source to emit an intermittent beeping sound. For further information, contact Walter Stromer, 410 7th Avenue, S., Mt. Vernon, IA 52314.

HumanWare, Inc., has recently introduced its latest "humanized" product, the Ransley Braille Interface (RBI). The RBI is a box that connects directly between any standard computer or computerized source and any standard braille embosser. A sighted person, for example, who knows nothing about braille will be able to produce automatically formatted Grade 2 braille in essentially the same way a standard printer would be used. For further information, contact HumanWare, Inc., 6140 Horseshoe Bar Road, Suite P, Loomis, CA 95650; (916) 652-7253.

"Catching sight of Baffin Island's deep fiords, icy lakes, and jagged, glacier-covered mountains, Susan Ponchillia described the scene below to her husband, Paul." Thus began a two-page feature article in the Kalamazoo (MI) Gazette describing the Ponchillia's week-long backpacking adventure in one of the world's northern-most parks. With them was Paul's dog guide, Dinah. Paul was blinded in a hunting accident about ten years ago. Both he and Susan are on the faculty of the Western Michigan University in the Department of Blind Rehabilitation, and they are active members of the Michigan Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired. While the Ponchillias are no rookies at backpacking, this was their most challenging experience, one for which they have been preparing for a year. They have taken wilderness trips for the past seven years, venturing to more remote and difficult areas as their skills increased.

December 31, 1988, marked the retirement of Dr. Carson Y. Nolan as President of the American Printing House for the Blind and of Harold (Ric) Richterman as Director of Rehabilitation Services for National Industries for the Blind. Both of these individuals have served their organizations and the field of blindness and visual impairment with distinction and their many friends in the American Council of the Blind wish them much happiness in this new phase of their lives.

A self-help management program for blind and visually impaired diabetics is now available on audio cassette from the American Foundation for the Blind. The two-tape set, "Managing Your Diabetes with Vision Impairment" and "American Diabetes Association Diet Exchange Lists" is available for $4.00. Make checks payable to the American Foundation for the Blind and mail to: Lynn Luxton, National Consultant in Rehabilitation Teaching, American Foundation for the Blind, 15 W. 16th Street, New York, NY 10011. 

The November-December issue of The Braille Forum carried in this column an announcement of the availability of the 11th edition of the Vision Resource List. Please note that although this publication was formerly provided without charge, because of the high cost of publication, it has now become necessary to make a charge of $2.00. To order, send $2.00 to Vision Foundation, Inc., 818 Mt. Auburn Street, Watertown, MA 02172; (617) 926-4232. Please indicate large print or cassette. 

The American Council of the Blind of New York State is chartering a car on Amtrak for the 1989 ACB convention in Richmond, Virginia. Fare from Penn Station in New York City to Richmond is $87.00 round­trip. A box lunch will be served on board. The train will originate in Boston and may be boarded at east­coast stops for an additional charge. The train leaves June 29 and returns July 8. For details and reservations, please contact Mrs. Lois Bonanni, Directions Unlimited, 1-800-533-5343. 

The 1989 conference of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities will be held in Tampa, Florida, May 10-12. The conference will focus on employment issues relating to people with disabilities. For further information, write the Committee at 1111 20th Street, Washington, DC 20036.

NewsBits, a monthly computer-oriented audio magazine, focuses on developments in both access technology and the general computer industry. The radio documentary format lets the reader hear interviews with computer users and experts covering such topics as development in OCR technology; new speech, large-print, and braille display systems; accessing on-line information services; books on compact disks; software and hardware updates, and more. A one-year subscription (12 60-minute issues) costs $49.00. Contact Talking Computers, Inc., 6931 N. 27th Road, Arlington, VA 22213; 1-800-458-6338, or in Virginia, (703) 241-8224.

"Sounds Around Us" is a unique new book and cassette package designed to heighten a young child's creativity and awareness of sounds. Such items as cracking of an egg, sneezing, and the bouncing of a basketball are used as musical elements in a song context. Each of the 14 songs treats one source of sound. Water, for example, includes the patter of rain, the roar of the ocean, and the wet sound of splashes. Each song has a two-page illustrated spread. Although not designed specifically for blind children, the cassette is an enjoyable experience, and the book, which does not require reading, may be suitable for partially sighted youngsters. The cassette sells for $5.95 (including postage), and the entire package for $9.95, plus $2.00 for postage and handling. Order from: Sound World Recordings, Dept. AC, 1200 South Brand Blvd., No. 3, Glendale, CA 91204.

Evergreen White Cane Tours has announced their silver anniversary 1989 tour selection for blind and sight-impaired persons. Three destinations are offered: an 11-day tour featuring Portugal in March; a musical excursion of Nashville and Knoxville (Dollywood) in June; and Ireland, Scotland and England in August. For full details, contact Betty Hoffman, Evergreen Travel Service, Inc., 19505(L) 44th Avenue, W., Lynnwood, WA 98036; 1-800-435-2288 (national toll-free line); 1-800-562-9298 (Washington State only).

The Alumni Association of the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children has decks of playing cards with a picture of the school on each card. Cards may be brailled if desired. Price is $3.00 per deck. Also the alumni choir has for sale for $5.00 a tape of music done at a concert presented during the school's centennial celebration. Payment must accompany order. Contact Tony Evancic, 201 N. Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. 

A recent letter to the Braille Forum office reads in part as follows: "Any reader that would like to provide hints on how they secured a sponsor in one of the anonymous recovery programs is asked to help this reader, involved for nine months with AA, with possible suggestions. I have friends from the meetings I attend regularly, but no regarded confidants. Please send your ideas to David, P.O. Box 4007, Arlington, VA 22204." 

The Massachusetts Association for the Blind has available the following cassette tapes at a cost of $5.00 per tape: Boston Celtics 1987 Official Yearbook; Boston Bruins 1987-88 Yearbook. All orders must be pre­paid. Massachusetts Association for the Blind, 200 Ivy Street, Brookline, MA 02146.

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